Ballot-box.



Patented May 2|, I90l.

T. E. MGNULTY.

A L L 0 T B O X.

(Application filed Sept. 1, 1900,)

lo. e24,5|4.

2 Sheets$heet I.

(No Model.)

PATENT rricn.

THOMAS E. MCNULTY, OF ORIPPLECREEK, COLORADO.

BALLOT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,514, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed September 1, 1900. Serial No. 28,777. tNo model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. MONULTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cripplecreek, in the county of Teller and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Ballot-Box, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ballot-boxes; and it has for one object to produce a ballot-box having transparent sides so arranged that they may be easily and cheaply replaced in case of breakage. Another advantage is to so construct the top and bottom of the box that the parts will be so interlocked that it will be impossible to gain access to the interior without destroying the structure and utility of the box.

A further object is to provide means by which the box may be closed securely and entrance through the votingaperture be positively prevented.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement of parts of a ballot-box, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the views in which they occur, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved ballot-box. Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of the same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the cover. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional detail views, respectively, of the top and bottom ends of the posts of the box, showing the means for securing them in position. Fig. 9 is a sectional view through the hinge, and Fig. 10 is an enlarged end view of ajoint for securing the sides in position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 and 2 indicate the top'and bottom, respectively, of my improved ballot-box, which are preferably formed from wood and between which the walls 3 are detachably secured. The walls are preferably transparent, as of glass, and may be arranged octagonally, although there may be a greater or less number of sections, as desired. Posts 4 are secured at the corners for the purpose of holding the top and bottom at the desired distom of the box being provided with a channel 6, which corresponds with the outlines of the opening in the top. Metallic guides 7 are arranged at the angles of the openings and extend from the top down into the channel of the bottom. Each of these guides is preferably formed from two strips of metal, the edges of which are bent parallel with each other, as shown at 8, and the central portions 9 are secured to each other, the joint between said portions being on radial lines from the center of the opening, and the edges of the two strips are arranged at such angles to each other as to correspond with the angles of the walls which are inclosed therebetween. By constructing the parts in this manner the guides may be inserted in the dilferent corners and the walls slipped down between the edges of the adjacent guides, thereby rendering the walls self-supporting, as the insertion of the last wall forces each guide firmly and rigidly into the corner at its upper and lower ends, the central portion of all of the sections of the wall being braced in all directions by the flanges and formation of the guides. A cover 10 is hinged at one side of the opening and has its main portion adapted to fit snugly within the opening of the top, with its upperedge projecting a sufficient distance beyond the opening to prevent access being had to the interior of the box. The hinge 11 has its leaves secured to the top at such an angle as to cause its pintle to lie in a line with the top of the box and the outer edge of the flange of the cover, and thereby permit of the cover being opened to a vertical position or beyond, yet at the same time permit of the lower portion of the cover entering the opening in the top and preventing access being had to the interior of the box through the hinge.

The wall of the opening in the top may be provided with one or more recesses 12, into which the bolt 13 of a lock upon the cover may be forced by a key through the hole 14, there being three such recesses and locks shown in the drawings. The central portion of the cover is provided with an opening 15,

preferably in the form of an elongated slot, through which the ballots may be inserted as they are cast. A slide 16 is arranged upon the under side of the cover, which is adapted to be moved over said slot and close the same against access to the interior of the box. A lock may be provided for said slideas, for instance, a spring l7which can be arranged to engage with one end of the slide when closed and hold the same against retraction. The opposite ends of the slide may be provided with the usual finger-holes 18, by means of which it may be moved in opposite directions, and the spring 17 is preferably secured at its outer end adjacent to one of the locks and has its inner end bent at an angle and adapted to be moved into a recess within the cover when the slide is to be retracted.

The top of the box may be formed from a single piece of material; butI prefer to form it from four pieces of suitable thickness say,for instance, one and one-quarterinches with the ends cut on a bevel at the corners of the box and secured by means of dowelpins 19. The upper ends of each of the posts are preferably split longitudinally, as shown at 20, and fit into holes 21 in the under surfaces of the top, each of said holes being dovetailed, with the wider portions in line with the joint between the pieces of the top. The split or kerf in the top of each post is arranged transversely to the joint between the pieces of the top, and a wedge 22 is fitted into said kerf, so that when the parts are assembled the wedge will be driven into the kerf by the insertion of the end of the post, and the sides of the post will be forced laterally into the dovetailed portions of the hole in a line with the joint, thereby rigidly locking the tenons or ends of the posts against removal without placing any lateral strain upon the joint.

The cover may be formed from a single piece of material, if desired; but I prefer to form it from a plurality of pieces, glued or otherwise secured together, with the grain of the dilferent pieces crossing each other to prevent warping. The inner piece is preferably formed from two sections 23 of substantially the same thickness as the slide 16 and having their adjacent edges dovetailed and arranged at a distance apart equal to the width of the slide, so as to form guideways for said slide, a stop-piece 24 being arranged between the edges of the sections beyond the fer to form it from different pieces, with the grain of the different pieces crossing each other to prevent warping, and to provide cleats 26 across the bottom for the support of the box. I prefer to form the top layer of the bottom with a central portion 27 of the same area and outline as the space inclosed by the walls and four outside pieces 28, the outside pieces being spaced a sufficient distance from the edges of the central portion to form the channel 6. The opposite sides of the opening upon the lower end of each of the posts is provided with a dovetailed recess 29, within which the ends of the outside pieces 28 are adapted to enter in assembling the parts, which will lock the tenons in their respective holes and prevent their removal therefrom except by the destruction of the box. The holes in the top and bottom for the reception of the tenons of the posts preferably terminate at a distance from the outer surfaces, so as to prevent access being had thereto for the purpose of destroying the tenon and permitting access being bad to the box by the separation of the top and bottom from the side walls.

As above described, it will be seen that my improved ballotbox can be cheaply constructed and the parts assembled in such manner that when the box is completed and the cover closed and locked, with the slide arranged to close the ticket-opening, it will be impossible to gain access to the interior of the box without such mutilation or destruction of the parts as to indicate that the box has been tampered with, thereby guaranteeing the safety and security of the ballots deposited therein. If any of the walls should become broken, they can be replaced at a trifling expense, as all that is necessary is to cut a piece of glass of the proper size, remove the broken piece, and insert the new piece from the top in the same manner as the original piece was inserted.

In using the box the slide is withdrawn from the opening and the bolts of the different locks projected into their respective recesses in the opening of the top, each bolt being operated by a different key and the different keys being retained by different persons. After the election the bolts are withdrawn from the recesses, the cover is opened, and the ballots counted in the usual manner. After the ballots have been counted they are returned to the box. The slide is then moved to close the ticket-opening, the cover is closed, and the bolts of the different locks thrown into their respective recesses. The box, with its contents, is then placed in the custody of the proper official and kept closed until it is desired to-remove the tickets for the purposes of examination or recount or for any other purpose when the possessors of the different keys are each present to unlock the different bolts. When it is desired to again use the box, the cover is raised, the free end of the spring depressed, and the slide withwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by,

Letters Patent, is-

1. In a ballot-box, the combination, with a top and bottom rigidly spaced at a distance from each other, the top being provided with an opening and the bottom with a channel to correspond therewith, longitudinally-grooved guideways between the top andbottom with their ends in said opening arid channel, respectively, wall-sections in said guideways and having their lower ends fitted in said channel and their upper ends resting in said opening, a cover fitting within said opening in position to prevent the removal of the wall, and means for locking said cover in its closed position, substantially as described.

2. In a ballot-box, the combination, with a top and bottom rigidly spaced at a distance from each other, the top being provided with an angular opening and the bottom being provided with an angular channel to correspond therewith, angular guideways fitting in the corners of the channel and of the opening, the opposite sides of which are each grooved longitudinally, of wall-sections fitting within the grooved portions of said guideways, a cover for the opening adapted to prevent the removal of said sections and guideways,:and means for locking said cover in its closed position, substantially as described.

In a ballot-box, the combination, with a top and bottom rigidly spaced at a distance from each other, the top being provided with an opening and the bottom with a channel corresponding therewith, the inner faces of the opening being provided with a plurality of recesses, removable wall-sections extending from the channel to said opening, a flanged cover hinged to the top at one side of the opening, and provided with a ticket-opening, a plurality of locks, one for each of said recesses, and means for closing the ticketopening, substantially as described.

4-. In a ballot-box, the combination, with a top'and bottom rigidly spaced at a distance from each other, the top being provided with an opening and the bottom with a channel corresponding therewith, removable wall-sections between said channel and opening, a flanged cover hinged to the top at one side of said opening and provided with a ticket-opening, said cover being formed from a plurality of layers, the grains of which cross each other and the bottom layer is formed from two sections, the adjacent edges of which are dovetailed and located upon oppositesides of the ticket-opening, a block rigidly secured between said sections upon one side of the opening, a dovetailed slide movably secured between the remaining portions of said sections, a spring in position to engage with one end of said slide and lock the same in position to cover said ticket-opening, and means for locking the cover in said opening, substantially as described.

5. In a ballot-box, the combination, with a top and bottom rigidly spaced at a distance from each other, the top being provided with an opening and formed from beveled pieces secured together at their ends, and the bottom being provided with a channel to correspond with the opening in the top, each corner of the top and bottom being provided with an opening, the openings in the top being dovetailed in the line of the joint between the sections, posts between the top and bottom with their ends in the respective openings, the upper ends of the posts being each separated longitudinally at right angles to the joint between the sections of the top, a wedge in the upper end of each post adapted to spread the upper ends thereof into the dovetailed portions of said openings, removable walls between the channels and the openings, and a cover provided with a ticket-opening and means for locking the cover in the opening in the top of the box, substantially as described.

6. In a ballot-box, the combination, with a top and bottom rigidly spaced at a distance from each other, the top being provided with .an opening and the bottom with achannel,

the bottom being formed from a plurality of layers with the grain of the difierent layers arranged to cross each other, the upper layer being formed from'a plurality of sections, the central portion having the same outline as the opening in the top of the box, and the outer portions being spaced therefrom to form said channel and having their ends joined together on a bevel, the top and bottom being provided with registering openings, posts in said openings, the tenons on the lower ends of the posts being each provided with dovetailed recesses upon opposite sides and the ends of the outside pieces of the top layer of the bottom fitting in said recesses, cleats across the bottom of the box, removable walls fitting between said channel and the opening in the top, a cover for said opening provided.

with a ballot-opening, and means on said cover for locking the same within the opening and for closing the ballot-opening, substantially as described.

THOMAS E. MONULTY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. E. BROCK, CLARENCE SHAW. 

